Any Major Roads Vol. 1
Here”s the first of what I think will be two mixes on the subject of driving. Not “driving songs” ““ no Bon Jovi, no Bohemian Rhapsody ““ but songs about people in cars, or who are planning to be in one, or being on the long road. Having said that, I have test-driven this mix in my car, and found it a most agreeable companion on (mostly congested) roads.
The king of car songs is, of course, Bruce Springsteen. I could have chosen so many; just coming to mind as I write are Racing In The Streets, Born To Run, Sherry Darling, Cadillac Ranch, Wreck On A Highway, Stolen Car, Working On The Highway”¦ If you have perused the tracklisting before reading this, as I would, you might either be troubled by the absence of Thunder Road, or delighted by my lack obviousness. The song is, in fact, included by way of prototype.
Before the song was Thunder Road and Bruce planned to take Mary out of this town of losers (the same Mary whom he gets pregnant in The River?), it was called Wings for Wheels, and the girl was Angelina. The recording here is, I think, the only one of Wings for Wheels, put down live in February 1975 at The Main Point in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. Just over six months later, Springsteen recorded Thunder Road for the Born To Run album.
Also coming from a bootleg is Simon & Garfunkel“s America, in which the featured motor vehicle is a Greyhound bus. The recording is from the duo”s 1968 concert at the Hollywood Bowl. It is one of the best bootlegs I”ve heard, in terms of sound and performance. Well worth tracking down.
Rocket 88 is regarded by some as “the first rock & roll record”, as if such a thing exists (though Sam Philips, who recorded it, made that pronouncement, and who am I to argue with him?). The recording will usually be attributed to Ike Turner, and the credited performer tends to be forgotten. Jackie Brenston was Ike”s saxophonist, and his Delta Cats were really Turner”s Kings of Rhythm. Branston got the writing credit, though it was written by 19-year-old Ike. On the saxophone is Raymond Hill, who”d later father the future Tina Turner”s first child.
As ever, the mix is timed to fit on a standard CD-R and includes home-combusted covers, PW in comments (where you are invited to leave a note).
1. Doobie Brothers – Rockin” Down The Highway (1972)
2. War – Low Rider (1975)
3. Golden Earring – Radar Love (1973)
4. Tom Robinson Band – 2-4-6-8 Motorway (1977)
5. It”s Immaterial – Driving Away Form Home (Jim”s Tune) (1986)
6. Gabe Dixon Band – Five More Hours (2005)
7. Wilco – Passenger Side (1995)
8. Stephen Duffy & The Lilac Time – Driving Somewhere (2007)
9. John Prine – Automobile (1979)
10. Bruce Springsteen & The E-Street Band – Wings For Wheels (1975)
11. Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band – Hollywood Nights (1978)
12. Edgar Winter Group – Free Ride (1972)
13. Eagles – Take It Easy (1972)
14. Little Feat – Truck Stop Girl (1970)
15. Martha Reeves – Dixie Highway (1974)
16. Gil Scott-Heron & Brian Jackson – Hello Sunday! Hello Road! (1977)
17. Simon & Garfunkel – America (live) (1968)
18. Dionne Warwick РDo You Know The Way To San Jos̩ (1968)
19. Lovin’ Spoonful – On The Road Again (1965)
20. Lee Dorsey – My Old Car (1967)
21. Chuck Berry – No Particular Place To Go (1964)
22. Jackie Brenston and his Delta Cats – Rocket 88 (1951)
23. The King Cole Trio – (Get Your Kicks On) Route 66 (1946)
PW = amdwhah
Yet again, another great mix. Most I know, but I’m sure I’ll get to love the ones I haven’t heard of – yet. Thank you. LOve your blog.
Looks good. I’ll road-test this mix on the drive home tonight. “Any Road Up” is all right with me! Many thanks for the comp.
Thank you for not including obvious ones such as “The Long and Winding Road” or “Road to Nowhere.” That being said, there are no better road songs than Nick Drake’s, and “Road” is a good one.
(I can see this being a multi-volume set.)
Lastly, if you had included the Cars’ “Drive,” I would have questioned my place in life. Thank you.
A mix of car songs without the Beach Boys? You have dozens of songs (well, maybe not DOZENS) to choose from that are not obvious – hope we see one next mix. And of course, there’s Hot Rod Lincoln and I Can’t Drive 55 for next time, too. Thanks for putting this together. As usual, great fun.
Oh yeah, while I’m thinking of it, how about Maybellene and Mustang Sally and Low Rider? Ok, enough with the suggestions!
Oops, just saw Low Rider. In the immortal words of Emily Latella, “never mind.”
Ok, I am into this now. Here is a suggested play list (I didn’t check times, so it may end up running long):
Beep Beep – The Playmates
Fun Fun Fun – The Beach Boys
Born To Be Wild – Steppenwolf
Roadrunner – Bo Diddley
You Can’t Catch Me – Chuck Berry
(Looking For) The Heart of Saturday Night – Tom Waits
Long May You Run – Neil Young
Mustang Sally – Wilson Pickett
Pink Cadillac – Bruce Springsteen
Magic Bus – The Who
Dead Man’s Curve – Jan & Dean
Last Kiss – J. Frank Wilson
$1000 Car – The Bottle Rockets
Ridin’ in My Car – NRBQ
Crosstown Traffic – Jimi Hendrix Experience
Hot Rod Lincoln – Commander Cody & His Lost Planet Airmen
Be Thankful For What You’ve Got – William DeVaughn
I Wanna Drive You Home – ZZ Top
Cadillac Blues – Johnnie Bassett
Crazy Bout an Automobile – Ry Cooder
Drive South – John Hiatt
I Can’t Drive 55 – Sammy Hagar
Highway to Hell – AC/DC
Willin’ – Little Feat
Nice list which gives me some ideas. A couple of them are in line for Vol. 2 (William DeVaughn, Jan & Dean, NRBQ, Waits).
Here’s my bit for the sequel:
Wall of Voodoo – Elvis bought Dora a Cadillac
Stan Ridgway – Drive she said
Eddie Cochran – Somethin’ else
The Smiths – There’s a light that never goes out
Morrissey – Driving your girlfriend home
The Bobby Fuller Four – Phantom dragster
The Normal – Warm leatherette
Quick – Young men drive fast
Shona Laing – Highway warriors
The Triffids – Wide open road
The Doors/Frankie Goes To Hollywood – Roadhouse Blues
Billy Idol – Blue highway
Elvis Presley – Long, lonely highway
Shakin’ Stevens – You drive me crazy
…
come to think of it, forget the last one ;-)
Greetings from Dortmund, Germany.
I’ve been absent from these pages for too long (having a little one has seriously curtailed my surfing time)…but it looks like I returned just in time. Great mix, dude. Good to see you keeping up the excellent work!
It’s been a long time, Rol. Children tend to interfere with the important things in life, don’t they?
Yeah…but they bring many other benefits too. I’m just finally trying to achieve some balance…
Oh yes. The sacrifices are easily outweighed by the rewards.
I’ve loads of pre 60’s to mench but one of my faves is “Down the road a-piece” by Freddie Slack. More your era would be same song but by The Rolling Stones.
Regards, Boppinbob